Conveying system



.June 7, ll- B'. s. HARRISON 1,861,600

CONVEYING `SYSTEM Filed4 May 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .1 www# Y g VATTORNEYS..

June 7, 1932- B. s'. HARRISON 1,861,600

CONVEYING SYSTEM Filed May '27, 195o 4 Sheets-sheet s June?, 1932. B, s,HA'RRlsQN 1,861,600 I CONVEYING SYSTEMY I Filed May 27, 1930 4sheets-sheet 4 ATTORNEYJ conveyin cially to ti yPatented June 7, 1932UNITED STATES naar s. mm1soN,-or nnooxLYN, New Yoan convenue sYsTEn -Myinvention relates' to improvements in systemsand apparatus and espeetype of apparatus which is adapted for use in rapidly handlingquantities of goods which are dipped in desiredtanks for cleaning,painting, drying and other purposes. Y 1

Ihe object' of'my invention is to producel A, a s1mple,eilicient andhighly condensed apparatus which is semi-automatic in functionandwhichwill enable the work to be speedily and nicely performed.

In this specification, I have shown enough of a conveying system to makemy improvement-s understood, andthe improvements `relate particularly tothe means for operating the hangers -on which goods are placed so thatthey Amay be placed conveniently in connection with a drive orpusherchain offthe automatically released at a definite point and dippedsuccessively in the. desired baths, all Work being under the accuratecontrol of the operator.

-leys -alo Heretofore, pusher chains or drive lchains single acting dogto push along the trolleys carrying the goods -to be dipped and to movethe goods through a dry oven or ,the like, butsuch practice` has been.usually in connection with ovens which f are o ned and closed as thegoods are receiv or 4leave the oven,vand the action of the pusher chainhas been intermittent and of the dogs has been tosimply push the troliBut, in more recent developments, What` are called bottom entry ovensare used in which the ends of the oven are open and are at lower levelsthan the u parts of the oven'so that the heated air will stay in theupper "part and the goods are, therefore, preferably moved by a constantmotion through such oven. It follows that y grades Y and my improveddouble acting dogs or jaws are intended to work in connection with such.

the trolley tracks through such an oven have vup on one side and down onthe other,

j an oven, although they can' work well kin other arrangements, but withmy invention, the .parts which move through the oven are positively sothat they are carried 11p-grade, and when the trolleys pass in correct'drawings forming a. part of this PPer ' partly in section,

'Applicatipn led layY 27, 1930. Serial No. 458,032.

to the down-grade of the oven, the arrangement of the trolleys and 'thegoods they carry is not disturbed because the double acting dogs or'jawsprevent any dsarrangement.

My invention is further intended to prou vide a' convenient means forholding the goods position while being dipped, and further to provide aconvenient spacing means, which, when the point at which the goods areto be dipped is reached, will quickly eo space the trolleys and thehangers'which they carry further apart to facilitate dipping operationsand then permit them to assume their` normal position after the dipping.

Other improvements and advantages will o5 'appear from the descriptionwhich follows.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying speeiication in which similarreference characters refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Figure l is a diagrammatic plan showing the general arrangement of thesystem.

Figure 2 is a broken longitudinal1 sectional elevation of a part of theapparatus showing the hanger jaws released to rmit the dropping of thehangers to dip t e goods.v

Figure "3 is a broken crosssection on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4is a broken enlargedy detail view illustrating the manner in which thegoods are dipped. Figure 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation of thehanger-jaws in connection with the drive chain.

Figure 6 is a. Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross section of a slightly different arrangement of thehanger jaws and drive chain.

Figure 8 isan enlargeddetail elevatioml partly in section, showing thespacing means for adjusting the hangers at the place where the goods areto be dipped.v Figure 9 is a cross section on the line 9 9 of Figure 8,and r Figurejf 10 is a diagrammatic elevation, illustrating a type ofoven to whichthe system is well adapted. In Figure 1 the generalarrangementof section on the line 6-6 of 85 the apparatus isis'howm-andat A is illustrat-fl ed how the trolleys and the hangers which theycarry are moved along on the monorail with the trolleys following oneanother, and at B the trolleys are switched so that at the point C, twotrolleys which carry a single bar, as presently described, will be inparallel relation and travel along the course of the conveyor or drivechain D in order thatthe hanger bars may be engaged and released by thedrive chain, all of which will be hereinafter described in detail. At Eis diagrammatically shown a bottom entry oven with the hanger barspassing through it.

Along the course A is a monorail 10 which can be an inverted T rail of aknown type, and at the point D this rail merges into two parallel railsso that two trolleys following one another along the course A will beswitched at B to bring them into parallel relation and to continuealongl two parallel rails, as shown f in Figure 3. This arrangement isnot shown 55 however, gripping jaws or described in detail because it isnot new.

Along the rails 1() run ltrolleys which can conveniently be each in theform of a pair of wheels 11 connected to a bracket 12 which hangs belowthe wheels and two adjacent trolleys will support a hanger bar 13, theconnection between the bracket 12 and the hanger bar being leys movefrom following one another along the line A swivels will permit thechains and the hanger bar to extend transversely from one trolley to itsmate.

The goods to be dipped can be hooked over `the hanger bar 13, as shownat 15, and any suitable or approved connection of this character can beused. The goods are to be dipped shown the tank divided into separatecompartments 17, 18 and 19 which may conta-in liquids of a desiredcharacter. One may contain a cleaning liquid, for instance, an acidsolution, the next a cold water rinse, and the next a hot water rinse,or it will be understood that they might contain any desired solutionsor a greater or less number of baths may be provided. The goods may thenbe passed through a dry-off or burn-off oven, and thence to a paint diptank whence they may be passed through a paint bake oven 36 (Fi re 1) ofthe inclined bottom entry type.

T e power driven-and constantly moving conveyor or drive chain is showndiagrammatically at D and in detail in some of the other igures. 1t canhave, and preferably has, at the joints wheels 20Vwhich are arranged inpairs on axles 21 and run on suitably supported tracks 23, the axles ofadjacent pairs of wheels being connected by links 22. This part of thedrive chain may be, however, of any approved character and it is typicalof a drive chain. It carries, 24 and 25 which are a swivelconnection asshown at 14. y Thus, it will be seen that when a pair of trolto theparallel position at C, the

in a tank 16, and in Figure 4 I have intended to engage the severalhanger bars 13 as the latter come in connection with the drive chain soas to carry the bars forward to accomplish-the desired work on the goodswhich they carry, These gripping jaws are shown in detail in Figures 5and 6. They are pivoted on the adjacent axles 21, as the drawings show,and the pairs of jaws overlapping and their lower or freer ends formedinto hook members 24 and 25 tend to close around and engage the hangerbar 13. The jaws drop by gravity to a position to engage a hanger barand they are caused to move in unison and are held in proper relation bya pin 28 of one which enters a slot 27 of the other and thus they `areheld to move in unison and the limit of movement is fixed by the lengthofthe slot.

At a fixed place in the movement of the bars with the drive chain, theaws are automatically opened so as to permit a. hanger bar or a seriesof bars to be dropped to carry the goods into the tanks or baths abovereferred to. This opening is automatic and simply accomplished. byproviding one of thejaws .of each bath with an upwardly extending arm 29which projects upward from the pivoted axle 21 and in the path of theseveral arms is a tripping abutment having upwardly inclined ends 30 anda horizontal lbody ortion 31, see Figure 2, this being arrangedJ abovethe baths or tanks. At this point, that is at a point coincident withthe abutment 31'and with the tanks below, are vertically displaceablesections 10'l of the monorails 10 so that when the jaws are openedtorelease the hanger bars, the sections 10 of the rails, the trolleyswhich they carry and the hanger bars and the goods thereon may all bedropped so as to immerse the goods in the respective tanks. Y

In the drawings I have shown means for dropping three hanger bars andthe goods thereon as this corresponds with the number of tanks 17, 18and 19. If it is desired to have a larger number of tanks, then, ofcourse.

- there would be a longer separable section of the monorail so that agreater number of hanger bars could be dropped.

The raising and lowering of the trolleys and hangers is done by asuitable elevator which can be controlled by the operator and which isnot shown in detail-.because many kinds of elevators l:tor this work areadapted to the purpose, and no claim. is made here for the constructionof the elevator itself. As illustrated, the railsections 10 areconnected by are motor opera-ted and the motor controlled as tostopping, starting and reversing, by switches 34, 34', see Figure 2, sothat the operator can by pressing a-button or turning a switch, controlthese operations. This is referred to simply to make it clear what theoperation is and without any idea of lim- L f` cables 32 with Winches 33whichl butv it will be understood iting the invention to any particularform of elevator.

I have shown and described in Figures 5 and 6 a drive chain and the bargripping jaws thereon, and `here a single pair of jaws is arrangedbetween each pair of drive chain links but if a wider and better rippingsurface is desired on the hanger ar, two pairs of these jaws can be usedat each link connection and spaced apart as shown in Figure 7. Thearrangement otherwise is as already described, but by spacing the jawsin this way, there will be two pairs of jaws engaging the hanger bar 13at different points, thus making a stronger'and more even support.

In Figures 8 and 9 I have shown a practical means of properly spacingthe trolleys and the hanger bars they 'carry when the sections 10 of thetrolle rails are reached to providefor spacing an dipping the goods.

e arrangement shown works satisfactorily that other means can be usedhaving the same function but of different structure without affectingthe' invention. As illustrated, pawls 37 which can be conveniently trackrails 23, are arranged t0 engage and space thehanger bars 13, and thesepermit the bars and the trolleys to travel in close connection, eachnpawl 'having a notch 38 which rides on thehangerbar' and holds itnormally in position, but the notches are not deep enough nor sharpenough to prevent the hanger bars from engagement with them. These pawlsare arranged so that there will be one just before the dipping 'point isreached and just after this dipping point is left by the trolleys, andsimilar pawls 37 are pivotally connected with the rail sections 10' soas to engage the bars and hold them steady while the dipping operationproceeds. These can be connected to the rail s ections 10 equivalent.Adjacent these sections 1U' of 'the rails is arranged a slide frame 39which carries pawls 40, these being pivoted thereon y and having theirfree ends 41 shaped to enhanger bars which are engaged gage the hangerbars 13 while ends 42 are shaped so as to enga porting rail and preventthe pawls from dropping'too low. The slide frame 39 is arranged toreciprocate, and as itmoves'to the right, as'shown in Figure 8, it willbe seen that the pawls 40 engage a seriesv of hanger bars, and as theframe moves very much faster than does the conveyor, the by the pawlwill be uickly moved forward-over the sections 10 and spaced properly sothat when the sections 10 are lowered, the goods on the hanger bars willbe in proper registry with the tanks 17, 18and 19. Whenthe slide framemoves forward, the pawls 40 will push -the upper ge the sup- 55 thehanger bars out of engagement withthe pivoted for example to the beingpushed out ofv by brackets 43 or their b gagem'ent with the pawls37 butthel hanger bars will then be engaged by the pawls on the sections 10'above referred to so as to beheld steadlly during the dipping.. v

Any convenient means can be used for reciprocating the slide frames 39,but I have shown a means which permits them to be under control and tomove quickly. As illustrated, the frames are carried by trolleys 44which move on guide tracks 45 and the frames connect with cables 46, theconnection being near each end of the frame, as shown at 46 in Figure 8,and the cables are wound upon the drums 47 which are shown mounted on ashaft 48 which is supported in suitable bearings. To the shaft 48 isattached a pulley 49 over which runs a rope 50 with the ends hangingdown within the reach of the operator. Thus, bypulling on one member ofthe rope, the slide frame may be moved one way and by pulling on theother member, the frame is returned.

I have shown one dipping arrangement and elevator therefor, but thisarrangement may, of course, be duplicated. In Figure 10, for example, Ihave shown a tank 19 and the arrangement just 'described can be, ofcourse, used in connection with this or with a greater or less number oftanks.

At E, in Figure 10, I have shown the oven 36 diagrammatically as abottomentry, and it will be seen how thegrade of the conveyor tracks 23extends first upward and then downward and how the double acting jaws'ordogs 24, 25 serve to hold the hanger bars 13fand their trolleys indesired spaced relation while travelling In practice, the hanger barsare loaded at an desired point as they 'travel lengthwise along thecourse A and at the switch point B, the trolleys are diverted as alreadydescribed so that one of each pair will fbllow its appropriate rail 10,and a pair of trolleys will then e in parallel spaced relation with thehanger bar 13 traversing the course of the drive chain. As the hangerbars come to this position, they are successively placed in endrivechain and are carried forward to the tank 16 in the manner abovedescribed. As the tank is reached, the

arms 29 of the adjacent gripping jaws strike the abutment 31, openingthe jaws and releasing the hanger bars, as shown clearly in Figures 2and 4. At this point, the elevator is operated to permit the .hangerbars carried thereby to drop so that the oods on the hooks 15 will enterthe tanks.' gs the rail sections and their hanger bars dropout ofengagement with the jaws on the drive chain, they do not interfere withthe progress of the latter. After the sections are raised, anotherhaniger bar and its trolleys are rail sections 10- over these grades.A

appropriate jaws of the i the rail sections 10. 'and pushed in place onthe by the spacingmeans proved Ameans for releasing the ing transverselyu tically, between the tracks, jaws hanger bar and its trolleys on therail sections 10 again into engagement with the gripping jaws andcarries them forward one step so that the hanger bar at the left hand inFigures 2 and 4 will move forward on the fixed part of the monorails andat the right hand a new hanger will be advanced to dipping position. Theoperator then drops the elevator and again submerges the goods'but thosethat have been submerged in the tank 18, for example, will ,his time besubmerged in the tank 19 while the merged in the tank 17 will beimmersed in the tank 18. This is because the spacing means will havepushed each hanger on the section 10 forward the appropriate distance.This operation is repeated regularly and after being dipped, the goodsare carried forward by th'e drive chain through the drying oven 35 andthence through the priming oven 36. These ovens can be of anyconventional or apkind and obviously they may represent compartments ofany character or number through which it is desirable to-carry thedipped goods.

I claim:

1. A structure of the kind described, comprising a drive chain, a goodshan er extending transversely of the drive cham, jaws on the goodshanger, jaws at a definite point, and an elevator actlng at the openingof the jaws to lower the hanger.

2. A structure of the kind described, comprising a drive chain, a goodshanger, hanger engagmg jaws carried by the drive chain, means foropening the jaws to release the hanger, and an elevator acting at theopening of the jaws to move the hanger.

3. A structure of the kind described, comprising a drive chain, a goodshanger extendof the drive chain, means for guiding the hanger, jaws onthe drive chain engaging the hanger, means `for releasing the jaws at adefinite point, and an elevator acting at the opening of they jaws tocarry the hanger.

4; A structure of the kind described, comprising vparallel spacedtrolleys, a drive chain continuously moving between the trolleys, a

the drive chain engaging hanger bar connectmg the trolleys, jaws on thedrive 'chain to engage the hanger bar,

means for releasing the jaws at a denite place, and an elevator actingat the releasingof the jaws to carry the trolleys and hanger bar.

5. A structureA of the kind described, com- I prisin spaced paralleltrolley tracks having separa le sectlons, hanger b'ars connected toltrolleys running on said tracks, a continuously movlng drive chainspaced at a point veron the drive goods previously sub.

chain to engage the hanger bars, means for releasing the jaws as thetrolleys come on to the' movable track sections, and elevators forraising and lowering the track sections.

6. A structure of the kind described, comprising a continuously movingdrive chain, hanger bars arranged to extend transversely of the drivechain, jaws'on the drive chain to engage the hanger bars, a tank spacedbelow the hanger bars and drive cham, means for releasing the jaws fromthe hanger bars at a point above the tank, and an elevator acting to'lower the hanger bars and raise them between the tank and the drivechain jaws.

-7. In a structure of the kind described, a drive chain comprisingpivotally connected links, jaws pivoted at the pivotal connectionbetween the links and arranged in pairs to engage an article, one jaw ofa palr being pivotally mounted at one end of a link and the other jaw ofthe pair being lpivotally mounted at the other end of the same link, atrippingv abutment adjacent the drive chain, and arms connected to thejaws and disposed to engage the tripping abutment to open the jaws.

8. A structure of the kind described, comprism carrie by the drivechain, means for opening the jaws to release the hangers, an elevatoracting at the opening of-the jaws to move the hangers, and spacing meansengaging the han ers and acting to change their spaced relatlon as thehangers are delivered to the elevator.-

9. An apparatus of the kind described, l

withl respect to the drive chain, and spacing means acting independentlyof the 'elevator to change the spaced relation of the hangers as theyenterthe elevator.

10. In an apparatus of the kind described, comprising a drive chain,goods carrying hangers operated by the drive chain, anelevator to raiseand lower the said hangers with respect to the drive chain, a movableslide frame opposite the elevator, and means connected to the slideframe and engaging the aforesaid hangers to change the spaced relationof the hangers as they enter the elevator. j

11. A structure of the kind described, oomprising a drive chain, goodscarrying hangers' movable by the drive chain, an elevator to lower andraise the said hangers with respect' a drive chain, hanger engaging jaws12. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a drive chain, goodscarrying hangers movable by the said drive chain, an elevator to raiseand lower the said hangers with respect to the drive chain', a manuallycontrolled spacing means arranged adjacent the elevator and acting toengage the said hangers and change their spaced relation as the enterthe elevator.

151,1 testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificationthis 24th day Aor' May, 1930.

BURT S. HARRISON.

